Whether you are looking to buy or invest in a new business, sell a business that you have been building up over many years or need practical legal advice on a commercial contract, we have the skills to help you.

Unfortunately from time to time differences arise between businesses, or individuals, which cannot be resolved.

Given the unfamiliar situations that disputes can create, we will provide you with fast and efficient commercial legal advice in a clear and understandable manner. This will provide you with sufficient information for you to assess your options and make informed commercial decisions.

Finding the right property for your business is paramount – all details of your property matter must be carefully considered.
That is why you’ll need a team on your side, who can guide you through the process and offer you thorough advice, to make sure that every aspect of the transaction is right for you and your business.

Our employment law service is headed up by one of our founders, Amanda Jefferies. Our team offers practical, cost-effective and tailored advice to businesses of all sizes and individuals on all aspects of employment law, from implementing compliant policies and contracts, to advising upon specific disputes within the workplace and where necessary, representing the interests of our clients in the employment tribunal or the courts.

Articles and News

There is an increase in County Court Civil action cases
where parties to proceedings are not legally represented,
often known as litigants in person (LIP). The Ministry of
Justice quarterly published figures showing that 44% of
defended claims in the County Court were unrepresented
between April – June 2018.

Congratulations to Emma Allen and Team Loreal who completed
the 5km inflatable run at Newark in September 2017, a
fantastic £845 was raised! Donations were made to PASIC who
support young children with cancer and their families.

Good question, you may say, since October 2016 the
government has been carrying out an enquiry into whether the
terms “Employee” and “Worker” are properly defined
legally. Currently there are three possible categories;
“employee”, “worker” and
“self-employed/freelance”

As a result of a recent case relating to workplace stress or
depression being seen as a disability, it may be useful to
look at the law relating to disability. The law says that if
an employee has a disability and is thereby put at a
disadvantage compared with non-disabled employees, then the
employer has a duty to take such steps as are reasonable to
avoid the disadvantage. A disability is legally defined as a
physical or mental medical impairment that has a substantial
effect on the ability to carry out normal day-to-day
activities and is “long-term”, meaning it has lasted
or is likely to last more than 12 months.

This is an interesting legal topic that rarely gets a
mention. Most employers, employees and HR professionals are
well aware of the main grounds for which an employee can be
dismissed; gross misconduct, continuing misconduct after a
final written warning, etc. But there is also a “catch
all” legitimate ground for dismissal for “some other
substantial reason”, or SOSR for short.

With the state of world affairs today, religious fanaticism,
radicalisation and hatred is a topic that can spill over
into the workplace, especially into the controversial area
of religious symbolism. In fact two recent cases adjudged by
the European Court of Justice may have muddied the legal
waters somewhat.

The various specialist civil courts in England and Wales
will be reorganised and be officially known as the
“Business and Property Courts of England and Wales” from
June 2017. They will handle, amongst other matters,
international dispute resolution jurisdictions. The courts
included within the Business and Property Courts will be as
follows:

Well article 50 has been effectively triggered today. Since
the referendum there has been a period of uncertainty, but
the latest analysis of possible effects on businesses and
the probable changes to the law can be better understood.

One legal issue that rarely gets mentioned is what happens
if a company decides to re-locate. Many contracts of
employment include mobility clauses which effectively force
employees to move, leave or face dismissal. While these
clauses are perfectly legal, should an employee choose to
leave as a result of the move it may not just be a simple
case of dismissal or dealing with a resignation, and if an
employee flatly refuses to move, you may have to acknowledge
they’re redundant and pay redundancy or you may find
yourself at the wrong end of an unfair dismissal claim.

The law is forever being changed and amended so it often
helps to know what’s likely to happen in the year ahead so
as a business you can make plans and contingencies. Here are
a few “red letter dates” for your diary.

The results of a recent case which is the first such
conviction under the new laws have led the Competition and
Markets Authority to issue new rules and guidelines for
company directors. A director of an online company agreed
not to act as a director of any UK company for 5 years after
his company was found to have been part of an online
price-fixing cartel.

Although the General Data Protection Regulation comes into
force on 25 May 2018, businesses should really look at their
processes and procedures now, because the GDPR will create a
major shift in how all organisations handle personal data.

Thinking of buying a business? There may be more to consider
nowadays than you might think; due diligence is vital when
it comes to deciding whether or not to go ahead with an
acquisition, it helps a the potential buyer to decide if the
price is right or fair, or if there is any specific risk
that can be identified which can be covered by specific
indemnity clauses in the sale and purchase agreement and
even whether to proceed or not, as previously stated.

So the New Year is a few months old and you’ve decided to
start up on your own, good for you! Whatever you decide you
want to do, though there are certain things you should never
ignore or overlook if you want to succeed.

As the new legislative year begins, here are a few pointers
to what employers and employees can expect to see in the New
Year as regards employment laws and laws that may impact
businesses and employers in general. Firstly, pay disparity,
the Gender Pay Gap Reporting regulations that we blogged
about last year, although the regulations are still in draft
form the deadline for the first report is expected to be 4
April 2018 based on pay and bonus data from 2016/17.

Contact Us

Whether you are looking to buy or invest in a new business, sell a business that you have been building up over many years or need practical legal advice on a commercial contract, we have the skills to help you.

Unfortunately from time to time differences arise between businesses, or individuals, which cannot be resolved.

Given the unfamiliar situations that disputes can create, we will provide you with fast and efficient commercial legal advice in a clear and understandable manner. This will provide you with sufficient information for you to assess your options and make informed commercial decisions.

Finding the right property for your business is paramount – all details of your property matter must be carefully considered.
That is why you’ll need a team on your side, who can guide you through the process and offer you thorough advice, to make sure that every aspect of the transaction is right for you and your business.

Our employment law service is headed up by one of our founders, Amanda Jefferies. Our team offers practical, cost-effective and tailored advice to businesses of all sizes and individuals on all aspects of employment law, from implementing compliant policies and contracts, to advising upon specific disputes within the workplace and where necessary, representing the interests of our clients in the employment tribunal or the courts.